Ethiopian government employees are being sent on annual leave amid worsening fuel shortage in the country. The Ethiopian government has instructed all public organizations to implement instructions in this regard.
Reportedly, public organizations and state owned enterprises in Ethiopia have been directed to send all non essential staff on annual leave. The organizations are finalizing lists to comply with government’s directive. Interestingly, instead of instructing civil servants to work from home, the government wants to send them on annual leave. It remains to be seen if the employees on annual leave will be paid full salary or not.
Earlier this month, Ethiopian government raised fuel prices, but the increase is not very significant. Price of gasoline has been increased from 129 birr per liter to 132 per liter. Price of diesel has been raised from 129 birr per liter to 139 per liter. Long queues of vehicles are being seen at fuel stations in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. War in the Middle East involving Israel, US and Iran is crippling everyday life in Ethiopia. In Tigray region, the price of gasoline in black market has reached 500 birr per liter. Ethiopian federal government has been restricting fuel supplies to Tigray due to political conflict with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Ethiopia is due to conduct General Election at the end of May 2026. Acute fuel shortage is going to affect National Election Board of Ethiopia’s capacity to smoothly organize the election in the entire country. Construction of mega projects, including Bishoftu Airport project ( the largest airport in Africa being built in Bishoftu Oromia), is expected to be affected too.
